Frame charges against Siddique, 2 others for jail break, says court

Panaji: A Merces court stated that charges were to be framed against Suleman Mohammed Khan, also known as Siddique, sentry guard Amit Naik, and Hazrat Bavannavar of Huballi in connection with Khan’s escape from the crime branch police station at Ribandar in 2024.According to the prosecution, Khan hatched a criminal conspiracy with Naik to escape from the lock-up where he was detained by the SIT (land grab). It submitted that Naik, being a public servant performing lock-up sentry guard duty, was legally bound to guard and keep Khan in confinement in the crime branch police station, but intentionally aided him by removing him from there. Both then escaped on Naik’s motorcycle, and Naik took Khan to Huballi. The prosecution stated that Bavannavar, despite being aware that Khan had escaped from custody, assisted in concealing and harbouring him in his car with the intention of preventing him from being apprehended.Khan’s advocate, D Dhond, stated that Khan was under the belief that he was being taken officially to Huballi for some investigation, and stated that there was no intention to abscond, as he himself had surrendered. He stated that no arrest panchanama was conducted, and that escape must be from custody in which a person escaping was detained legally. He added that Khan was not lawfully detained and, hence, he did not escape as the police removed him from the lock-up.Assistant public prosecutor H Ghate stated that there was ample evidence of conspiracy between all three accused persons and prima facie evidence to frame charges against them. “Whether the accused had knowledge or not will be revealed during trial. There is no need to assess evidence prematurely,” stated chief judicial magistrate, Sarika N Fal Dessai.